


Lost and Found

by tocasia



Series: Our Shining Past [35]
Category: Final Fantasy VII
Genre: AU, Adventure, Airship, Betrayal, Death, Gen, Loveless (album), Motorcycles, Sephiroth and Zack friendship, back in my day, incredible bravery, real villains have mothers, sickeningly sweet romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-02
Updated: 2017-12-02
Packaged: 2019-02-09 18:14:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12893883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tocasia/pseuds/tocasia
Summary: In which Zack and Aeris make a cute couple, so Sephiroth won't allow Shinra's search for the Promised Land to interfere.(27. lost and found) for Seph&Zack Friendship 100 Themes





	Lost and Found

Zack probably wrote love letters in his head that began with 'Dear, sweet Aeris' and ended with a cascade of hearts. Sephiroth had noticed his friend's crush, but he had not expected _Zack_ of all people to ask him for romantic advice.

" _You_ are asking _me?_ "

"Well, there are rumors...."

"That there are," Sephiroth decided not to conceal his smug satisfaction. "The church in Sector 5, was it?" Zack nodded eagerly in response. "Have you tried falling through the roof? I bet she'd love that. I could even give you a hand."

Zack looked incredulous. "Uh, no thanks. I don't think I'll need help with that bit."

Later....

"It worked...."

"Of course."

* * *

Sephiroth dropped yet another dried up pen in the wastebasket by his desk. It was the last one. Imagine that. And... _someone_ had replaced all his browser bookmarks with book _warks_. In his infinite mercy he had already forgiven the culprit.

"General Sephiroth, Sir!"

An oddly formal approach, complete with salute. What did Zack want?

"Sir! Lieutenant General Fair, SOLDIER First Class, requesting a temporary leave of absence from paperwork duty starting at 1800 hours today and continuing until 0700 tomorrow to go see the play."

"What?" Sephiroth's surprise was at the delivery, not the content.

...a fact which Zack purposefully acted oblivious to. "You know, Loveless."

Yes, he did. Everyone did. Loveless had been the only thing showing in Midgar for the past two decades. How did that verse go?

"Midnight wish blow me a kiss  
I'll blow one to you  
Make like this  
Try to pretend it's true"

Zack whistled. "Damn, you've been to see it that many times?"

"Not as many as you, probably, with all the dates you've had."

"Hey! You know I'm not like that."

"I know. But you're taking your flower girl there, aren't you?"

"That's different. She's never been, even though she's sold flowers outside for years. She wants to see it. It's a big deal for her."

Trust Zack to right great wrongs wherever he saw them.

"Thank you, Zack."

"For what?"

"For being kind."

"You're welcome."

"Enjoy yourselves."

* * *

He liked the way she giggled when he called her 'babe'. Everything she was was spring and summer. It was in her name and in her hair and in her eyes.

...yeah, the Great Hero Zack (that was him) was smitten bad.

And she liked him too! It made him giddy; he felt like a better person for her affection.

* * *

Aeris waited near her house, in her garden, next to the waterfall that sparkled with Mako but smelled clean. Zack, who was so honest and silly and good, wanted her to meet someone he said was like a brother to him.

She saw them walking along the dirt path towards her, chatting amiably.

Zack's friend was... _General Sephiroth?_ Zack's rank in SOLDIER must be higher than she'd guessed! He hadn't mentioned the details yet. Maybe Zack had been all over the world and could tell her stories. He told wonderful stories....

"Miss Aeris. It is a pleasure to meet you, at last."

She stared.

She remembered her manners. Hopefully Zack wouldn't think her gaze wandered. "It's nice to meet you too, sir."

General Sephiroth smiled like he was used to the attention. No doubt he was. It was a lovely smile.

Zack opened his mouth, probably to explain whatever today's wild adventure would be, but was interrupted by a default ringtone. The General scowled, which was terrifying, and with an apology, turned away and answered his phone.

"Understood." He hung up with a disappointed sigh. "Unfortunately, we'll have to continue this later. I am needed urgently elsewhere. But Zack has told me something of your interests, and so I brought you a gift."

He reached into a coat pocket and brought out a small, flat package that rattled slightly when she took it.

"Thank you."

General Sephiroth nodded respectfully at them both and left.

Zack frowned. "Bummer. I'd hoped we'd be able to talk more, maybe hang out a little, go to lunch or something."

"It's just the two of us, then," Aeris said playfully, to cheer him up. She grinned and leaned her head on Zack's strong, warm shoulder.

After a while, he asked, "So, what'd Seph get you?"

"Hmm, looks like... a packet of seeds."

"Pretty cool?"

"Yeah it's.... Wow! This is amazing! So many rare kinds! I swear some of these are, or were, extinct, and I don't recognize others. Where did he get these? How does he expect them to grow down here?"

Zack held her close, letting her share her excitement. "I dunno, he didn't say anything about it. Where do you want to go eat?"

"How about I make you something? And you can brag more about what it's like in SOLDIER. I don't mind."

"Sounds great! Can I help?"

Zack was so cute when he was enthusiastic. She loved being the cause of it. It didn't really matter that he couldn't cook.

"Sure."

* * *

Sephiroth made it to the urgent meeting in time and took his seat.

President Shinra announced pompously, "As of today, we are restarting the Neo-Midgar plan."

"Then the Ancients?" Reeve said, full of hope. "Does this mean my new reactor design is approved?"

"Yes. We'll review the blueprints immediately after this."

Sephiroth had seldom seen Reeve so happy.

Tseng had something to report. "The Turks have located the last Ancient. The raid to bring Aeris into custody will take place tonight. She will be escorted here as our honored guest, to lead us to the Promised Land."

"I'm expecting a lot out of her," President Shinra said.

Hojo fidgeted in anticipation. Scarlet was glaring at him for shaking the table.

* * *

What were they saying? Sephiroth remembered asking when he was six. The answer had been yes. Jenova was an Ancient. She was very old. And she knew many things, like elders should.

He was of special blood; no less than Aeris. Except... they'd given up on him.

He couldn't allow Shinra to....

'Honored guest'? Ha! Aeris hadn't done anything to deserve the brutality of Shinra's labs. Consigning her to that fate was unjust, something that it was his duty to correct.

He'd met her only this afternoon! Zack would be devastated if she was gone. And he'd practically given them his blessing with that gift.

_Don't deceive yourself._

...They want to use her to prove that I am inferior, because I cannot lead them there.

But the other reasons were more noble.

* * *

"You don't need her. I can show it to you."

Hojo cut short his maniacal laughter, something heretofore considered impossible. "You tell me that _now_ , Sephiroth? Why not before?"

"Interesting timing," Rufus said, with a hint of a snicker.

President Shinra paid them no attention. "You know its location, General? Then there is no need for further delay?"

"I do. No, there is not."

"What do you require?"

"It is a difficult journey. The easiest transportation is via airship."

"Then we will begin at once."

'At once' was also a lie. Completely absorbed in his delusions of greed, President Shinra lost track of time. Sephiroth swore inwardly at each wasted minute. He couldn't send a message to Zack while Tseng was watching him like a hawk!

"You have one hour. Then we, with the exception of Reeve and Tseng, leave for Junon airport. Professor Hojo, you may be assured the operation to secure the Ancient will continue as planned. Dismissed."

Chairs dragged on carpet. The department heads filed out. The door closed.

* * *

Zack was on his way to the checkout lane when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was the number-that-must-never-be-ignored.

Sephiroth said, "Are you still there with Aeris?"

"Nah, I'm above-Plate, at the store, you need anything? She really liked your gift. How was your mission?"

"The meeting just ended. In an hour I will be in Junon to catch an airship." Zack recognized the faint sounds of Seph throwing stuff into a suitcase. "Have you given her a ride on your motorcycle yet?"

Zack did his best to convince himself that that wasn't innuendo. "Yeah, she loved it!"

"Good, because Shinra is after her. The Turks have orders to capture her tonight. You might be able..."

"What?! Why would they?"

"For the labs."

"...!" Seph heard his sharp intake of breath.

"Exactly. I want the two of you to get out of Midgar, fast. I will join you when I can."

"Yes, sir!"

"Good luck."

It was already getting dark outside! Zack left the cart in the store and ran.

* * *

Zack and his motorcycle accrued several more uncited traffic violations on the way to Sector 5. He skidded to a stop in front of Aeris's house, leapt from his bike, and burst in the door, frantically shouting her name.

Aeris didn't answer him, but her mom was there.

"The Turks were here before you." Elmyra narrowed her eyes. A chill went up his spine, and not only because she was pointing a gun at him. "Was it because of you that they took her?"

He saluted without thinking. Potential future mothers-in-law outranked him. "No, ma'am! And I swear by all that is Holy that I will rescue her!"

"You'd better."

"Yes, ma'am!" Zack returned to the bike, hit the gas, and zoomed off. Destination: Shinra HQ, somewhere in the labs. He steeled himself for the mission. There was no time to be afraid!

Elmyra called after him, "Be careful, Zack! She wouldn't want you to get hurt!"

* * *

No one gave him trouble on his way to the 68th floor. The Buster Sword stayed on his back, for now. If possible, Zack didn't want to start a commotion until he'd saved Aeris.

He entered the labs proper. The receptionist had left for the night, so the office was closed, but hell was open 24/7. He tried to keep his back straight and his pace measured. Tried not to look like he was sneaking around. But this place gave him the creeps.

With SOLDIER senses, he could hear which rooms were occupied. Almost all of them were. There were too many heartbeats to count.

Smell was no help, either. He wished he hadn't attempted it. Soap and blood and Mako, and various ...substances... that had been spilled in these hallways over the years. Ugh!

Aeris didn't wear any perfume, anyway.

Had they made this a maze on purpose? Was there a system for the room numbers? No idea. The magnetic white board by a door said something about harvesting slum Hell Houses to be used for upper-Plate fashion doghouses.

As Lieutenant General, there was no reason he couldn't be here, right? Zack forced himself not to draw his sword. That would only give him away.

His boots would echo on the metal grating, so he decided to skirt the area around the two-level specimen elevator even though the guy at the controls was squinting intensely at the screen with a bored expression. Playing Solitaire.

In the tank was today's specimen, a Malldancer from Corel Valley. Asleep, or drugged? Zack couldn't tell. It looked cold.

He hung a left, avoiding line of sight of the most obvious camera, and ducked into the first corridor.

The walls of this... Containment Unit 18... were transparent. So that's what became of the monsters the SOLDIER recruits had been sent to dispose of, _supposedly_ to keep the Sector 7 train graveyard safe for the kids who played hide and seek there. The dragon-like Deenglows had already tripled in size and their eyes glowed more than usual.

Zack hurried on.

Maybe they hadn't assigned her a room yet? So they would put her... in those cells near the back, with beds that folded out from the wall. The ones where tired lab techs crashed and delinquent cadets sometimes abandoned their unlucky peers. He'd never done that. Theoretically, legitimate SOLDIER medical stuff went on there. Yeah, right. No matter what Seph said. 

No guards? Well, there was a time and place for complaining about lapses in discipline, and this was not it. 

Here! He'd found her!

Aeris looked up from where she'd been... praying? and saw him. She didn't seem hurt; her clothes weren't torn or anything.

He wanted so badly to break down the door, grab her, and run. He could easily slice through the mechanism that controlled the forcefield, and if he was lucky, he'd hit the wiring inside the overhead light that also powered the alarm. But he couldn't risk it! If they both got caught here...! Don't panic, Zack.

Aeris gave him a thumbs-up. And an encouraging smile.

For her, he forgot his fear long enough to remember one of the access codes befitting of his rank. He keyed it in and the door opened, quietly. He motioned for her to join him outside the cell.

"Here, I brought you some materia. Ice, Seal, Barrier. I came as fast as I could."

"Thanks Zack."

She shared his look of grim determination.

"Let's go."

* * *

Zack made less noise than she did, but it was her spell that put the unsuspecting janitor and two lab techs to sleep. They didn't meet any other patrols; apparently everyone else was working too hard to leave their desks. Still, she and Zack could be caught at any moment....

"Just be chill," he told her. "Pretend like you own the place."

"Okay."

Arm in arm, they stepped calmly into the 68th floor elevator.

On a lower floor, so close to the exit, an officer (was that right? He was wearing red.) passed them in the hall.

"A good evening to you, Lieutenant General, Sir. You too, Ma'am."

Zack nodded, she smiled, and they continued their dignified walk. Once out of earshot, she squeezed Zack's hand and whispered in his ear, "Wow!"

They crossed the well-lit company parking lot to Zack's motorcycle.

"That was fun, now what?" She teased because she was trying not to be nervous.

"Fun? You've gotta be kidding! Never mind. Now we go for a ride. Hang on tight!"

* * *

Quite possibly, the Shinra executives treated it as a pleasure cruise. Scarlet had probably already gotten Heidegger drunk.

Sephiroth led them north. He was the only person above deck; it was too cold for the others to be comfortable. Too cold for snow. He'd chosen this destination because it was far, far away from where Zack and Aeris were hopefully going somewhere safe. Such a remote region was largely unexplored and was thus a plausible site for the Promised Land, which he couldn't actually show them.

They'd believed him though, tentatively, when he'd said he could.

Two were still suspicious: Rufus, amused and predatory, waiting for his failure, and Hojo, irritated and confused by the prospect of success. President Shinra was blinded by greed. Palmer had tagged along for attention.

Looking out over the glaciers, Sephiroth wondered what would happen when they arrived, relying on his guidance, and he'd have to admit that he didn't know. He had little practice making excuses.

 _Oh, my son, but you do know._

She always said he did. Which was why he rarely sought her advice. But he did not hide his sliver of curiosity this time, and so Mother revealed to him the elusive glimmer of an idea that his thoughts could _almost_ pierce the fog of. The translation was difficult, because it contained a concept that was foreign to her. She might mean....

Is that all it was? If Shinra knew the truth of what they asked, they'd never have doubted him. Hmm. He'd already agreed to it. It would solve his problem. Ha! The lengths he went to for Zack!

 _After a long journey... the land that promises supreme happiness... for_ you. 

* * *

Luck Plus worked on traffic? He'd have to remember that!

There was nothing in the way. Zack drove at top speed, steering one-handed so he could wield his sword. So far, Aeris had been quiet. Her arms were warm around him.

White markings flashed by under red beacons. The road snaked above and through the industrial and manufacturing sectors, winding between smoke stacks and cooling towers. There was a pretty good view of Midgar's skyline tonight. The city lights blurred in the green haze on the horizon.

The first cable suspension bridge was just up ahead.

"Here they come! Must've finally seen the security camera footage."

He swerved to dodge the shot. Evaded another easily. The poor guards were rookies. They didn't have the experience and accuracy to shoot the tires. Not Turks, then. Good. Still... they were gaining steadily. No matter how hard he pushed the bike, Zack's SOLDIER speed didn't extend to vehicles.

More gunfire, and a gasp, and he felt something wet soak through the back of his uniform.

"Aeris!"

He aimed a slash to his left. Behind, sparks flew as metal met concrete. "You're hit!"

"I'm fine, keep going!"

This gathering of energy.... They'd hurt her bad enough for a limit? How on Gaea was that 'fine'?!

A golden glow enveloped them both, granting full recovery. Aeris's labored breathing returned to normal. The next few bullets went wide. No wonder she wasn't worried!

"Nice one!"

"Thanks! Uh, Zack... we're running out of road."

"S'ok, I got this."

* * *

The grunts screeched to a halt at the edge of the unfinished highway. They watched the SOLDIER and his lady friend sail over the wall and stick a perfect landing outside Midgar then blaze on into the night.

"Holy shit, that was Lieutenant General Fair!"

"Damn, that was awesome!"

"Hella romantic!"

"Good luck, you two!"

* * *

Hojo followed the rest. Sephiroth said the Promised Land was close.

"The outside _is_ rich with Mako energy..." Rufus grudgingly commented. Obviously. Dullard.

President Shinra once again took credit for an accomplishment not his own. "Everything's as I imagined it to be! Isn't it splendid?"

"Kyaa haa hah! This is incredible...... It's all Materia!!"

Leaving the idiots to their gawking, Hojo examined the area in detail. Something within the wall was moving, blinking? Definitely alive. Scaled lid, metallic blue. Side-to-side nictitating membrane, eyes yellow, slit. Taller than he was! The rest of the monster was deeper inside, obscured by the opaque amorphous structure of the materia. Was it WEAPON? The same from Gast's notes? He continued to stare, entranced.

"Ha,ha,ha... this is perfect!!!"

They didn't notice his embarrassing outburst, so Hojo ignored their inane chatter until a raised voice drew his attention back to the group.

"Why didn't you lead us here earlier, General?" President Shinra demanded.

"I didn't know where it was. It took some searching, but now... I'm certain."

That strange emphasis on the last word should elicit primal fear in lesser lifeforms. The air shivered invisibly with murderous intent, neither regretful nor excited. A ridiculous description. But the others didn't see it, were too stupid to feel it. They didn't know his son like he did.

Tendrils of Lifestream curled around Sephiroth's boots but no one else's.

There was no gloating warning, no playful taunting to prolong the indifferent slaughter. Rufus died first.

No, that was wrong. Hojo had the lone privilege to recognize the small signs that it wasn't emotionless. An efficiency that mocked their lack spoke of disdain; Sephiroth was putting them in their rightful place. He regarded his victims with hatred and then triumph. Beautiful.

The last swing was dramatic. Sephiroth had made Masamune sing before the thump.

Hojo watched Fate stride inexorably towards him. Time turned a blind eye, allowing a final moment's thought.

* * *

He remembered how proud he'd been of his young son's ability to detach himself from others' suffering in order to observe. It had taken Hojo years to sacrifice his own compassion in the name of his career.

"Life does have value, you know," he'd proclaimed, with mild irritation.

A child had said, "Because of morals?"

Hojo had laughed. "No, knowledge. You shouldn't kill things too soon for no reason. You won't learn as much as you could."

"Oh."

"Don't kill the specimens until I get the results. If you're bored, we can arrange for the transport of more monsters."

"No, that's alright. It's not that interesting."

* * *

Hojo looked at the man for whom death meant absolutely nothing and never had, even before the war. Sephiroth was here; the sword was here. Deftly, Sephiroth flicked the blood from it onto Hojo's face. It partially covered his glasses.

Over there, President Shinra gurgled something about treason. "You said you'd take us to the Promised Land!"

"And now I have."

* * *

Aeris held tight to Zack's waist, resting her head between his broad shoulders. He smelled like bravery. She might've been asleep at some point. The sun was coming up.

"Doin' okay back there?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

The scenery rolled by. Dawn made the tips of tall grasses golden.

"Where are we going?"

"We're heading east, towards the coast. I know a small village there that survived the war. It's a nice place. They won't ask questions for a while. Seph'll catch up, and we'll figure it out from there."

"How far?"

"About three days. Don't worry, I brought some tents and fueled the bike yesterday."

"This is even better than our first date."

"Thanks, babe!" said her Great Hero Zack.

* * *

Clear blue skies and a fresh breeze. The scenery rolled by. One more day to go. This was awesome.

Suddenly, Aeris said, "There's a big shadow on the fields to the north! We're being followed by airship!"

"Shit, they found us already? There's nowhere for us to hide out here! Be ready to fight!"

"I'll put up a Barrier to block the shots," she agreed. She tensed behind him but wasn't afraid. She was amazing.

The shots never came, though.

"Zack, what flag is that? It's not Shinra's."

Zack spared a backwards glance. "That's Sephiroth's command flag, the one he used in Wutai!"

"So we're safe?"

"Yep! As safe as fugitives fleeing Shinra can be." Zack slowed the motorcycle to a gentle stop, stood up, and waved.

The airship hovered and descended, landing so that the bike could be loaded into the hold. Zack and Aeris climbed the reinforced cable ladder up to the deck, where General Sephiroth met them, smiling warmly.

"Welcome aboard."

"Thank you, sir!" Zack saluted. Aeris copied him. It was adorable, and hey, she did pretty well.

"Walk with me to the bridge."

* * *

Underneath the tapping of their boots on metal, Zack heard the crew talking.

"Man, I can't believe this is really happening."

"Eh, I never liked Heidegger anyway."

"You can say that again."

Zack quickened his pace slightly to be next to the General. He whispered, "Seph...?"

"Hmm?"

"What did you do...?"

"Corporate restructuring. It'll do Tseng some good to be loyal to himself for a change."

Though his insides turned to ice, Zack managed to keep walking.

The pilots greeted them in the most formal style possible.

Sephiroth folded his arms, confident, relaxed. Scarily content, actually, so Zack looked at Aeris instead, who seemed to be having the time of her life.

"What will we do now?" she asked.

Promising himself it'd be okay, the Great Hero Zack (that was him!) said, "We'll be sky pirates. Yeah! That's what we're gonna be."

General Sephiroth laughed as if it was. "What's our course, Grand Admiral Gainsborough?"

**Author's Note:**

> Lyrics for 'Blown a Wish' on the My Bloody Valentine album, **'Loveless',** 1991
> 
> [Verse 1]  
> Midnight wish blow me a kiss  
> I'll blow one to you  
> Make like this  
> Try to pretend it's true  
> Show me all your favorite things  
> Show you all mine too  
> Make a wish  
> I'll give it all to you
> 
> [Verse 2]  
> Hold on to your promises  
> Hold on to mine too  
> Caught like this  
> I'll turn it in with you  
> Fall apart my beating heart  
> Nothing left to do  
> Once in love  
> I'll be the death of you


End file.
